Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Life, Death and Huna

Throughout the ages philosophers, scientists, theologians and anyone who has paused to think about the whys and wherefores of things, have wondered about the experience and meaning of life and death.

The Absurdists have decided that life and death are meaningless, so the best thing to do is to ignore death until it happens and, if you are still alive, to ignore it immediately after.

The Resisters see life as good and death as bad, and do everything they can to prolong life and avoid death without regard to the quality of life or the desire for death.

The Beyonders say that life is a proving ground. If you follow the rules you'll have a different and better life after death, but if you break the rules you'll have a different and worse life after death.

The Cyclists hold that the essence of a person experiences life and death over and over until by grace, individual effort, or gradual evolution there is no need for either one.

Of course, humans being so creative, there are many variations and alternatives to the above. Here is one derived from the principles of Huna.

First, life and death exist as experiences. Their meaning and consequences are decided by you, either based on what someone taught you or on your own conclusions. No matter what life and death may actually be, your beliefs about them will govern your related thoughts and actions.

Second, Huna assumes that existence is infinite, and therefore that life and death and time and space are just names for different types of experience.

Third, a belief is simply a way of organizing your perceptions or expectations to allow yourself certain experiences and disallow others. By reorganizing your perceptions and expectations about life and death you can change your experience of them.

Fourth, all experience is happening now. Time is merely a belief. To people of the past, right now you are unborn; to those of the future, you are now already dead.

Fifth, Life and death are part of the impulse toward fulfillment that we call love. Love changes the lover and the beloved, and without change there is no existence.

Sixth, the power of life and death comes from within. Not from within the personality or the body, but from our infinite spiritual source. "Outside" factors may influence the timing and manner of life and death, but they do not cause the experience.

Seventh, regardless of what anyone says about life and death, what really matters to you is what you think. You have the right to choose any set of ideas or beliefs about life and death that makes sense to you and that helps you deal with those experiences.